This post contains 3 lessons, which have helped Leo Laporte become one of the Internet’s biggest success stories of recent years and which we can all learn from.
Here’s an introduction to Leo along with those three key lessons…
Category Archives: social media
Social media rock stars? Get real!
I have already had several books sent to me this year for review, written by social media experts or gurus. One thing all of them have in common, is that they contain a version of the following advice, which is, in my opinion totally incorrect: Build a following and market to that following.
Here’s what I have found to be better advice: Don’t build a following. Build a community instead!
FOLLOWERS are like the audience at a rock concert. They are set apart from the rock star on stage. They see the rock star as distant. They are part of the event, but a very small part. The rock star might get the crowd to sing the occasional verse, but we all know they are REALLY just broadcasting THEIR VOICE to the crowd! I really don’t see a lot of value in positioning yourself as a rock star, if you actually want to get involved with people. Ironically, the people I see using this approach all the time, are social media experts!
COMMUNITY members are like…
What do you think about this email?
I wrote recently about copycat marketing. That’s where someone copies the marketing of someone else, hoping that it will work.
After writing that post, I received a lot of email and comments, from people who had personal experience of copycat marketing going wrong.
Here’s one email, which I would like to share with you and hear your thoughts on….
10 ways to get massively more sales leads!
Sales leads or enquiries, are an essential part of the marketing process. After all, a steady flow of good quality sales leads, when acted upon correctly, can lead to a regular stream of lucrative business and allow business owners to plan ahead with confidence.
SO, this post gives you TEN 10 popular and powerful lead generation ideas, to add to your marketing arsenal…
Marketing & Business: It’s all about the people!
Successful marketing is all about people.
It’s not about; brands, venues, websites, companies or social media tools – Marketing is all about people. You see, without people, none of those things matter.
I met with a friend of mine this morning, who owns a large and very successful nightclub. We had our meeting this time, in the nightclub itself, rather than his office, and the sensation was amazing. I have only previously been there, when it’s been packed with hundreds of people, having a great time and enjoying the music. This morning, you could have heard a pin drop, as we sat, drinking coffee and talking about his marketing.
You see, it’s not the building, fixtures or fittings that makes his nightclub a success; it’s the people who work there and party there. Without people, the place means nothing. The value is in the people…
Marketing tip: Stop shouting for attention!
Is your marketing shouting at people?
If you go into Starbucks today and start shouting at the people around you, you will definitely grab their attention. However, it’s not the kind of attention you want to attract. Many small businesses use a very similar approach with their marketing. In an effort to capture attention, they act in a way that gets them noticed, but for all the wrong reasons.
They not only fail to generate new business; they can permanently damage the reputation of their business too.
Some examples of how companies shout at people with their sales and marketing:
* Adding people to their newsletter list, without permission. It’s spam.
* Spamming people on Twitter.
* Meeting people at networking events and using that transparent crap; “tell me about your business and how I can help you.” Wake up, it’s not 1985 any more!
* Asking people to join their Linkedin network, claiming they worked with them (when both parties know it’s a lie.)
* Unwanted telemarketing calls to people’s homes at 8pm. Just what you need when getting a young child to sleep or relaxing after a hard day….
Want to massively improve your marketing? Then get specific!
There’s a big difference between learning something and learning something of value. When I speak with people about my services, I often say;
“Some coaches teach so others can learn – That’s not me!
Some coaches teach so others can accomplish – That IS me!”
This is because not all information is the same. I meet with businesspeople all the time, who tell me how much they enjoyed a certain book or how interesting they found a seminar or workshop they attended – BUT that they still have the same problems or challenges. They were educated, but with the wrong information for their unique situation…
What do your contacts say about you?
I have a question for you: “Which people or companies do you publicly associate with?”
The reason I am asking you this, is that potential customers and clients often look at the people or businesses we associate with, as a short-cut to determining the kind of people WE are.
Trust and credibility can either be destroyed or boosted in seconds, depending on the individuals and companies we are aligned with or associate with…
Giving oxygen to your marketing
One of the secrets of great communication, is to pick the correct delivery method, to get the maximum, targeted exposure for your message. We refer to this as “giving oxygen” to your marketing.
Marketing oxygen
Some of you will have noticed that when I made my BIG announcement here yesterday, I closed the comments section for that [...]
Blog announcement!
If you write a commercial blog or you are thinking of starting one, I would really appreciate it, if you would take a moment to check out The Ideas Blog.
Why?
It’s a blog I created, that’s designed especially for bloggers who want to turn their blogging into a financially successful business or income stream.
However, unlike most [...]
The marketing power of perception
This post is all about the marketing impact of perception, and how the way people feel has a massive influence, on whether or not they buy from or recommend certain brands.
The marketplace’s perception of a brand or industry is extremely important, which is why big brands work so hard to ensure that the general perception [...]
Blogging and critics
How do you feel about people, who criticise you or your work negatively?
Well, if you are thinking of using a blog as a part of your marketing mix, (and you should), you will need to figure out how to deal with them. This is especially the case, if your blog becomes popular.
The 2 sides of [...]
Jims Marketing Blog – Now with added love!
Here’s some good news for those of you, who are kind enough to comment here and share your opinions with my readers and myself. As from right now, when you leave your comments, you will be able to share YOUR most recent blog post with MY readers!
How come Jim?
The CommentLuv Wordpress Plugin
I have just installed [...]
Pay to enter? I don’t think so!
Have you ever thought about offering a paid version of your website or blog? Ever wondered what the advantages or challenges might be? If so, then you may find this brief post interesting!
I asked a question on Twitter yesterday. I wanted to know if people had paid to access a blog or site, for [...]
Funny: What is a social media expert?
Someone studying marketing at university, recently asked me what I thought a social media expert was.
I told her that I see social media experts as people, who understand how to make social media platforms deliver results for organizations and individuals.
However, she had a better answer, which I ‘think’ she intended as a joke. I just [...]
The secret of a top 10 blog
I’ve had a few emails this week, after technorati.com ranked this blog inside the world’s top 10 small business blogs for the first time.
Whilst this ranking will go up and down all the time, to have actually reached that spot is quite an achievement, for a marketing blog that’s little over a year old.
People wrote [...]
Let me help you achieve bankable results in 2010!
As regular readers will know, I’ve made a career out of helping businesses and entrepreneurs achieve measurable sales results.
Recently, I have started to use the term “bankable results” to refer to my style of marketing. This phrase was commented on by one of my readers and regular contributors, Robin Dickinson. So, I thought I would [...]
Your 2010 marketing check list!
If you are planning to start the New Year with a marketing push, here are a few questions you might want to ask yourself, before you proceed. Think of this as a simple, New Year marketing check list.
So, before you invest a penny of your money, or your time, on marketing for 2010; take a [...]
What’s your opinion on this?
Ever wondered why some blog posts get lots of comments and other posts get very few?
I have one post on this blog with almost 700 comments and others with just a few, so why does this happen? Well, there are thousands of posts around the Internet, offering long lists of what to do in order [...]
Why bloggers post every day – Part 2
Do you write a blog?
Are you thinking about blogging or taking your blog more seriously?
In either case, I believe you will find this post really useful.
As regular readers will recall, I wrote a post last month about the results I have seen, since I increased the frequency of my blogging from around 1 post a [...]
- Blowing the lid off your potential!
- 32 Questions to kick-start your business!
- Focus, focus, focus!
- Two very different voices. Which do YOU listen to?
- Set your own gold standard!
- 3 lessons from an Internet success story!
- Social media rock stars? Get real!
- What do you think about this email?
- Link Building on blogs: Keep it personal!
- 10 ways to get massively more sales leads!
- Accountancy Extra | Leeds, West Yorkshire Accountants
- Advertising Age website
- Alveston House Hotel | Bristol Conference Venue & Hotel
- Blog for profit
- Changing People | Womens Personal Development Resources Site
- Ideas blog
- Seth Godins Blog | Marketing & Business Development
- Small Business Website Marketing Blog
- TCP | Organizational Performance Experts in Illinois
- Tech News Blog | Tech news by Jim Connolly
- The official Jim Rohn website
- Web Design in Reading from MMD